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ELECTRIC BOAT NEWS EMPLOYEE NEWSLETTEREBNEWSELECTRIC BOAT'S SHIPYARD IS “WICKED BUSY”ELECTRIC BOAT GROTON GRAVING DOCK AND WING WALLS ON JUNE 7, 2021 REFLECT HOW BUSY THE YARD IS, WITH FOUR BOATSIN OCCUPANCY, FROM LEFT, SSN 768 USS HARTFORD (ENGINEERING OVERHAUL), SSN 793 USS OREGON (NEW CONSTRUCTION),SSN 791 USS DELAWARE (POST-SHAKEDOWN AVAILABILITY) AND SSN 790 USS SOUTH DAKOTA (POST-SHAKEDOWN AVAILABILITY).SECOND QUARTER 2021
CONGRATULATIONSTO THE RECENT GRADUATES OF BUSINESS LEADER GROUP-11The 11th cohort of the Business Leader Group (BLG) Programgraduated on June 1. EB President Kevin Graney and theExecutive Staff congratulated 33 participants who successfully completed an originally planned 10-month program, whichturned into an intensive 17-month program. BLG-11 originallykicked off in January of 2020 and then came to a complete stopdue to COVID-19 in March of 2020. The program resumed inthe fall of 2020 with a new approach.Workforce Development resumed the program with a 100%virtual approach, ensuring the richness of the networkingopportunities the program provides. While there were many upsand downs and twists and turns with BLG-11, the participantsof the program remained committed. Towards the end of theprogram, when restrictions began to loosen up, WorkforceDevelopment was able to provide the last few academic sessionsand graduations in-person, working our way back to the original approach to the program.The BLG Program, in partnership with the University ofRhode Island, provides knowledge, activities and opportunitiesfor participants to foster competency development crucial tolead in a growth environment and to support our business leadership needs.CONGRATULATIONSTO THEGRADUATINGSECOND COHORTOF THE PLANNINGPIPELINEROW 1, FROM LEFT, HEATHER PRZYGODA, CHRISTIAN WEINRICK, TYRONE DAVIES, GRETCHEN BUCKLEY,CHRIS LAMAR, KAITLYN RADE. ROW 2, FROM LEFT, RONALD SOMMO, JOE LUZZI, STEPHAN MEUNIER,DANTE SCARANO, LEIGHANN LABRIE, JESSE MONSAM, DON MELLON.2 ELECTRIC BOAT NEWS SECOND QUARTER 2021
EBNEWSROW 1, FROM LEFT, PETER JENNINGS, TED WILLIAMS, JIM WAHL, SHARON SZELAG,PAM MELCHIOR, TABITHA HUBBLING, PEGGI HULTGREN, BRITTANY NINMAN, MIKE ZUMMO,ANDY JAILET, RYAN BOUCLIN, HANNA MELLALY, KELSEY FAST, MORGAN HARRIS, JOHN LEGER,JIM CRANHAM, ADAM SPRECACE. ROW 2, FROM LEFT, CARL WEBER, ADAM MOWRY,WILL HEYNIGER, MIKE PALMER, DAN BORAH, BRIAN LADOUCEUR, DON TRAINOR, COLIN MORAN,ERIC ISSLER, WAYNE SHERMAN, CHRIS STANKIEWICZ, HERMAN FELIX.For approximately 17 months, the BLG11 graduates were exposed to skills suchas: Coaching, Strategic Thinking, ChangeManagement and Project Management.This was accomplished through: Assessments Individual and GroupCoaching Sessions Academic Lectures Group Discussions Executive Seminar Series presentedby EB Vice Presidents, and Action Learning Capstone Projectsselected by the EB Executive Staff.These projects are based upon realand timely requirements, events oractivities taken directly fromDirector input and the StrategicBusiness Frameworks.CONTENTS2-3 Congratulationsto the Recent Graduates of Business LeaderGroup-112-3 Congratulations to the Graduating SecondCohort of the Planning Pipeline4 USS Hartford Arrives at Groton for Overhaul5 EB Landing : Same Site, NEW Look!6-7 Former Apprentices Show the Ropesto Next Generation of Blockers8-9 U.S. Cabinet Secretaries Walsh andRaimondo Visit Electric Boat10 EB Breaks Ground on Building 604 in Groton11 Acting Secretary of the Navy VisitsElectric BoatCongratulations to the graduates.12 The Workers' Memorial“The planner who will build our future boats needs a training and development program that will give them a foundational level of knowledge on which they can become animmediate contributor to the planning team. This pipeline’s capstone project helps thesefuture planners to experience one of our company’s principles – Shipbuilding is a teamsport.” – Greg Wong, Director of Planning.The Workforce Development Organization and Planning Organization partnered toimplement a new program to prepare Planners to join the Electric Boat Planning Organization. This program was developed to assist the Planning Organization’s efforts inimproving the onboarding process and time to proficiency. This new program expandsthe offerings of EB’s Pipeline Programs.The program targets the following skills: Financial Accounting, Managerial Accounting, Operations Management, Public Speaking, Introduction to Software Applications,Introduction to Programming, Principles of Macroeconomics, Composition, TechnicalWriting, Blueprint Reading and Safety in the Workplace.The second cohort of the Planning Pipeline program graduated on May 28 in an inperson ceremony. Photographed at left are the nine students who graduated from theprogram; six Production Control Planners and three Detail Planners. These employeesbegan their EB careers working for Jim Algiere and John Bolduc on June 8, 2021.ELECTRIC BOAT NEWS is publishedby the Public Affairs Dept.75 Eastern Point Road Groton, CT 06340LYNN HENDY, EditorSYDNEY DAVIES, GREG ROSEContributing EditorsBOB GALLO, BRIAN GAGNON, TOM THOMASPhotographyPhone (860) 433-4683 Fax (860) 433-8054Email lhendy@gdeb.comELECTRIC BOAT NEWS SECOND QUARTER 2021 3
On Friday, June 4, Los Angeles classsubmarine USS Hartford (SSN 768)arrived at the Groton shipyard for anEngineering Overhaul. Later that day,EB was awarded a Navy contract modification that would allow for a 'Smart Start' tothis maintenance availability.Under the terms of the 'Smart Start' contract, EB will perform pre-work to preparefor the maintenance availability, scheduled tobegin in February, 2022. This work includesnesting and dry docking of the ship, andinspections.EB's President Kevin Graney said:“Overhaul and repair work is vitally important to EB because it enables our workforceto maintain proficiency in crucial skills andallows us to manage ebbs and flows in theworkload associated with the Virginia andColumbia programs. A Smart Start on theHartford is the right approach to maintainand modernize the ship and get it back tothe fleet. We thank our supporters in Congress for funding this important availabilityin the 2022 budget, and we thank our Navypartners for the effort it took to get this workstarted on schedule.”USS HARTFORD TRANSITS DOWN THE THAMES RIVER TOWARD EB'S GROTON SHIPYARDUSS HARTFORD ARRIVESAT GROTON FOR OVERHAUL4 ELECTRIC BOAT NEWS SECOND QUARTER 2021
EB LANDING :SAME SITE,NEW LOOK!IIPHONE INSTRUCTIONSt's been a little over two years since Electric Boat introduced EB Landing(https://eblanding.com/), a mobile site developed to help employees stay connected in a simple, easy-to-use way.When considering the large population of EB employees with limitedaccess to a computer, it's easy to see the difficultly that some employees havewith staying in the loop on company news, announcements, leadership podcasts,and other important communications that come through daily via email or onHomeport. EB Landing was developed to help employees with staying up-to-dateon what’s going on.If you visit EB Landing today,Being a mobile site, EB Landing can beyou'll notice some changes were accessed from any device at any time, even ifyou’re not on the EB network. Whether you vismade to the site’s homepage.it the site on your phone, tablet or computer,from home or at work, EB Landing helps ensureWhile current content andall employees have access to important information and resources. The site offers resourcesnavigation have not changed,such as weather and emergency alerts, specialupgrades were made to give the announcements, tax and benefits information,homepage a refreshed, new look. company news and more.If you visit EB Landing today, you’ll noticesome changes to the site’s homepage. While current content and navigation havenot changed, upgrades were made to give the homepage a refreshed, new look.Among these changes you'll notice a rotating banner at the top of Landing’shomepage, which scans through a few of the popular resources on the site. Clicking on an image in the rotating banner will take you to the corresponding page.Underneath the rotating banner is EB’s purpose statement, and new social medialinks that bring visitors to EB's social platforms. A scroll bar has been addedabove the featured Company News stories on Landing’s homepage, making iteasier for employees to scroll through the most recent published items, and theFeatured Links have been altered to have an icon appearance. Additionally, you’llnotice a new space dedicated to a featured video, which will be updated as newvideos become available.When visiting EB Landing from your work asset, use Google Chrome for abetter browsing experience.As a reminder, the easiest way to use EB Landing is by creating a bookmark onyour device, or adding the site to your mobile home screen. This will make it sothe site shows up like an app on your device.1.Open up Safari and load theEB Landing website.2.At the bottom of the screen,click on the "Bookmark" icon.The icon looks like an arrowcoming out of a box.3.When the bookmark optionsappear, click "Add to HomeScreen."4.You'll be asked to create aname for the new home screenicon and then click "Add."5.The saved bookmark will nowappear on your home screenlike an app.ANDROID INSTRUCTIONS1.Open up Chrome and load theEB Landing website.2.At the top of the screen, clickon the vertical ellipsis. Theicon looks like three dotsstacked on top of one another.3.When the options menuappears, tap on "Add to HomeScreen."4.You'll be asked to create aname for the new home screenicon and then click "Add."5.The saved bookmark will nowappear on your home screenlike an app.ELECTRIC BOAT NEWS SECOND QUARTER 2021 5
FORMERAPPRENTICESSHOW THE ROPESTO NEXTGENERATIONOF BLOCKERSElectric Boat has a long tradition oftransferring knowledge in the tradesby teaming veteran workers withapprentices and newly hired people.Seventeen years ago EB News f) featured veteranemployees and apprentices learning theart of blocking in Graving Dock #2 forUSS Seawolf. In April, history repeated itself as Department 252 blocked onceagain in Graving Dock #2, this time forthe 793 Boat, PCU Oregon.In blocking, wooden blocks are cutto the radius of the submarine along theboat’s entire length and are checked forheights by a linesman. The Navy mustsign off on the measurements so thatwhen a boat comes in the graving dockand water is pumped in, the submarinewill land on each block perfectly.FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: PETE WILLETTE, PAUL SHAW, TYLER KING, RICHARD LITTLEFIELD,BEN NAGER, SCOTT GARDNER, ANTONIO ASERMELLY, MATT PROCTOR, MATT SCHMEELK,ROBERT ROSHTO AND JERRY RENAUD.”It's an excellent opportunity for anyone looking to improve themselves as a trades-person. If you're notinto the traditional educational track, the apprentice program is for you. Through the hands-on experience and mentorship, I've been able to learn the 'why' behind what we do through the apprenticeshipprogram “—Apprentice Antonio Proctor, left. “The apprentice program has been a great opportunity tolearn, grow, get to know each other and better ourselves within the yard“ —Apprentice Bobby Roshto, right.6 ELECTRIC BOAT NEWS SECOND QUARTER 2021
Dept. 252 has a newgroup of apprentices andsome of the veterans nowleading the charge were thevery same apprentices featured in that article 17 yearsago. Graduate ApprenticeTyler King, now a linesman, helped spearheadthe evolution. GraduateApprentice Pete Willette is now a supervisorin charge of the linesmancrew and is overseeing theproject. Graduate Apprentice Jason Vaz is partof the MDA Optical Toolgroup, which helps create proper elevations andworks directly with thelinesman group. ActiveApprentices AntonioAsermelly, BobbyRoshto and MatthewSchmeelk from Cohorts4 and 5 were assigned tothe task and will be the nextgeneration of carpenters to build this proficiency.The assignments were a conscious effort by JAC Representatives Erica Montie and Don Kniss (retired) to make sureapprentices get opportunities when they arise. With the concurrence of Dept. 252 General Foremans Keith Dawley andDan Lavallee, the four apprentices were assigned to the twoweek evolution.“Our apprentice program is a three-year program that consists of going to school and doing on-the-job training for a totalof 6,000 hours,” said Montie, who is also a graduate apprentice.“Each apprentice has a log book to track their hours. At the endof each month their log books are collected to track the hoursworked and as they fulfill the hours required they are moved toa different discipline. There are 11 different disciplines that thecarpenters rotate through over three years. Each apprentice ispaired up with a skilled mechanic to get them familiar with howthe work is performed. Working in this fashion gets them familiar with each discipline in Dept. 252, giving them the advantageto work areas that most carpenters would not get to work, suchas the Joiner Shop, Upholstery Shop and MIP ManufacturingShop. It is a pleasure working as the JAC Representative withthe apprentices and seeingthem go through each discipline, for I was once intheir shoes as an apprenticemyself.”Local 1302 VP/UnionJAC representative DonKniss added, “With work inthe graving docks becoming more frequent, it isimportant that we have abroader cadre of peoplethat we can call on to complete these blocking tasksin a timely fashion to maintain our commitment to theU.S. Navy. It’s good to seethat many of these graduate apprentices are steppingup to key roles within theLocal’s rank and file andalso supervisory positions.To have a supervisor whohas had the same training and has been rotatedthrough the department asthese apprentices have is arecipe for success for the department and its workers. I think ourprogram is a success.”Former apprentice Pete Willette has been a supervisor inDept. 252 for nine years and earlier this year was promoted toGeneral Foreman. He came to EB in 2002 from Foxwoods. “Atthe time I was a waiter—I was making good money, but therewas no future. I wanted to learn a trade. I loved it, and after fourmonths I made it into the apprentice program. I was a carpenterfor 10 years, and then I became a supervisor. I’ve been doing itevery day since, and I love it.”Reflecting on his apprentice experience, Willette recalls, “Ipicked up a lot from the senior employees about how they didtheir jobs—measuring, putting lines on blocking and how to cutthe blocks. You can send somebody to a class, have them watcha video, or make a paper version, but there is nothing like learning hands-on. Teaching our apprentices these skills ensures thatthe quality taught to me continues on in the next generation.”As Willette notes, because of EB’s workload, Dept. 252 needed to start training others in all the skills involved in blocking,generating lines of ship, cylinder off-loads and boat roll-offs.ELECTRIC BOAT NEWS SECOND QUARTER 2021 7
U.S. CABINET SECRETARIES WALSH AND RAIMONDOVISIT ELECTRIC BOATOn Tuesday, May 4, Electric Boat hosted U.S.Labor Secretary Martin Walsh and CommerceSecretary Gina Raimondo who toured the facility and learned more about EB’s apprenticeshipprograms. In welcoming the two secretaries, EB President Kevin Graney laid out the case for EB’s currentand future hiring needs.“For the first time in a generation, we are buildingtwo classes of submarines: the Virginia class of fastattack submarines, and the Columbia class of ballisticmissile submarines,” Graney said. “So that we canrespond to the needs of the Navy, we’re hiring thousands of new employees, we are open for business.We hired more than 2,000 last year, and we’ll do thatagain this year.”Also taking part in the visit were U.S. Rep. Rosa L.DeLauro, CT, D-3rd District, newly named as chairof the Appropriations Committee; Gov. Ned Lamont;U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, CT, D-2nd District, chair ofthe Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces, which oversees U.S. Navy shipbuilding; U.S. Sen.Richard Blumenthal of the Armed Services Committee and U.S. Rep. John Larson, CT, D-1st District.8 ELECTRIC BOAT NEWS SECOND QUARTER 2021REP. DELAURO AND ELECTRIC BOAT PRESIDENT KEVIN GRANEY.BELOW, FROM LEFT, EB’S MIKE BIBALO, GOV. LAMONT, REP. COURTNEY, REP.DELAURO, SECRETARY RAIMONDO, APPRENTICE MATTHEW PROCTOR ANDEB’S DON KNISS (RETIRED).
The delegation received a tour of the shipyard includingBuilding 260 where multiple Virginia-class boats are currently being assembled and the South Yard Assembly area, thefuture home of Columbia assembly and test. The delegationalso had the opportunity to speak with several of EB’s apprentices, who described the program and how it has changed theirlives for the better.In 2016, with the help of a federal grant and assistance fromthe state Department of Labor, Electric Boat launched anapprenticeship program to train workers to design and buildthe next generation of U.S. Navy submarines. Since that time,EB has trained more than 1150 new employees.The apprentice program trains active employees in oneof the many skilled trade or design disciplines. EB currently has just under 300 apprentices in our three apprenticeshipprograms and that number will grow to 500 by 2023. TheShipyard Apprenticeship Program ranges from three to fiveyears while the Design Apprenticeship Program is four years.FROM LEFT, REP. LARSON, REP. COURTNEY, APPRENTICESFREYA PHELPS AND HOLLY BOYLE.FROM LEFT, APPRENTICES CHRISTOPHER HARY AND ROB JACKSON, KEVIN GRANEY, ANDREW BOND (EB VP OF HR),SECRETARY RAIMONDO, REP. DELAURO, SENATOR BLUMENTHAL, SECRETARY WALSH.ELECTRIC BOAT NEWS SECOND QUARTER 2021 9
EB BREAKS GROUND ON BUILDING 604 IN GROTONOn June 20, Electric Boat’s Facilities Master Plan (FMP) team joinedother EB leaders and local officialsto mark another milestone in theFMP project, which will update, upgradeand expand EB's facilities to accommodate our growing workforce and our workfor the Navy.The team officially broke ground onBuilding 604 in the Groton shipyard.When complete late next year, this 70,000square-foot facility will house EB's Radiological Emergency Response team,locally-based Naval Reactors personnel,the Nuclear Test team and test trainingspace, as well as the EmergencyCommand Center. These organizationsare now located in several different facilities around our Groton site—co-locationof these groups will increase efficiencyand collaboration, and our new ECC willprovide more modern working spaces forthe multi-disciplinary team who wouldrespond to any emergency in the shipyard.The groundbreaking is the latest in aseries of FMP milestones, all advancingEB toward its goal of updating its facilities to support our growth and the needsof the Navy. Other recent accomplishments include: The concrete structural deck on theSouth Yard Assembly Building wascompleted last month and steel is nowgoing up on that site. At Quonset Point, the team recentlycompleted the 78,000 square-footColumbia frame and cylinder building, known as AFC II, ahead of schedule. Installation of APCO fixtures iswell underway. The new heavy lift pad on the Quonset waterfront is complete, anderection of the first of two cranes isunderway. The pad and cranes willenable transport of Columbia modulesto the new barge for transport toGroton. Construction of the pier hascommenced and that job is expected tobe complete at the end of the year.FROM LEFT, EMIL CASCIANO, AL SPADAFORA, JOE DRAKE, KEVIN GRANEY, CITY OF GROTON MAYOR KEITH HEDRICK, CITY OF GROTON BLDG. &ZONING OFFICIAL JOE SUMMERS, SEAN DITTO FROM CONSIGLI CONSTRUCTION AND COMMANDER NICK LEVINE, SUPSHIP GROTON.10 ELECTRIC BOAT NEWS FSECOND QUARTER 2021
ACTING SECRETARY OF THE NAVY TOM HARKER SIGNS THEOFFICIAL “SECNAV BEAM” AT QUONSET POINT.ACTING SECRETARY OF THE NAVY VISITS ELECTRIC BOATOn April 5, Electric Boat hosted Acting Secretary of the Navy Tom Harker who visited the Groton and Quonset Point facilities. Secretary Harker, who assumed his duties in January of this year, is a 20-year veteran of the U.S. Coast Guard. Hiscareer was marked by operational success including multi-ton drug seizures on the high seas. During the tour of Groton Operations, Secretary Harker was given a demonstration of Ship Control; he also toured the COATs facility, the ActiveLearning Centers in Building 260 and the South Yard Assembly Building construction site. At Quonset Point, the Secretary andcongressional delegation toured the Virginia Module Outfitting Building, the Virginia Payload Module Annex and the ColumbiaCommon Missile Compartment and Tube Outfitting Building.ELECTRIC BOAT NEWS SECOND QUARTER 2021 11
EBNEWSELECTRIC BOAT X-RAY WELDER STEVEN TAVARES AND SHIP SPONSOR KATE MABUS SIGNAL THUMBS-UP AT THECLOSE OF THE KEEL LAYING CEREMONY FOR PCU UTAH, SSN 801 ON SEPTEMBER 1.
Executive Seminar Series presented by EB Vice Presidents, and . BOB GALLO, BRIAN GAGNON, TOM THOMAS Photography Phone (860) 433-4683 Fax (860) 433-8054 . ANTONIO ASERMELLY, MATT PROCTOR, MATT SCHMEELK, ROBERT ROSHTO AND JERRY RENAUD. "It's an excellent opportunity for anyone looking to improve themselves as a trades-person. If you're not
